Michael Bruno

Professor Michael Bruno may be the co-founder of multiple research centers of international importance at Stevens, but he still sees students as the primary reason for working in academia.

"I am, first and foremost, a teacher," he says. "It is why I pursued my advanced education and it is why I came to Stevens."

Stevens has grown precipitously since Dr. Bruno came to the university in 1989, transforming from a storied teaching college into a research institute with global partnerships and critical facilities for study in the public interest. Along the way, Dr. Bruno has shown tremendous leadership ushering in the future while maintaining Stevens culture of intense student involvement and hands-on research opportunities for undergraduates. As Dean of the School and Engineering and Science, Dr. Bruno fosters curricula and research initiatives in the best interest of both students and the leading research faculty.

Dr. Bruno has a lot of experience making the most of everything Stevens has to offer. For almost twenty years, he was Director of Davidson Laboratory, where he brought back to national prominence the advanced, high-speed towing tank where the Apollo space capsule and WWII battleship designs were tested. Although the rejuvenated Davidson Labs continues to host professional engineers testing naval and aerospace designs at scale, graduates students are also enriched through hands-on experience with these research tools.

Dr. Bruno has also capitalized on the university's unique location. Stevens, which overlooks the Hudson River from elevated Castle Point, has become an invaluable resource for the study, protection, and improvement of the New York harbor. To supply the state with critical technical expertise, Dr. Bruno created the New Jersey Coastal Protection Technical Assistance Service, which in turn provides students and faculty with opportunities for research and service. He also co-founded the New York Harbor Observing and Prediction System, which allows free and public access to real-time analyses and forecasts of harbor and riverine conditions via an Internet portal.

Recognition of Dr. Bruno's leadership capabilities goes far beyond Stevens campus. He is a Fellow of the American Society of Civil Engineers, a member of numerous scientific and professional committees, and sits on the Marine Board on the National Research Council. He has also been appointed to the U.S. Naval Research Advisory Committee, the senior scientific advisory group to the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, the Commandant of the Marine Corps, and the Chief of Naval Research.

Dr. Bruno's unwavering enthusiasm for engineering and science is said to be contagious among students and faculty. Perhaps that is why Stevens has become a powerhouse in producing competent and committed engineers that make the world's waters a safer play to live, work, and play.

Dr. Michael BrunoDeanSchaefer School of Engineering and Science

"I am, first and foremost, a teacher," he says. "It is why I pursued my advanced education and it is why I came to Stevens."